Despite free school funding being completely under the Department for Education's remit - and nothing to do with local authorities - the council has stepped in to help find other local school places for the boys signed up for FBS.

A meeting was held between the council and parents last night to discuss admissions and options for other schools, some possibly in neighbouring boroughs.

Sue Macmillan, the Labour council's education boss, said: “We thoroughly disagree with this decision and will do all we can to work with the parents and boys affected.

“Free schools are free of local council responsibility but despite that I have written to the government to seek an urgent explanation for its change of heart, what efforts have been made to secure a permanent site and why they reached this decision so late in the day.”

“This administration believes that free schools have an important role to play in improving the quality of local places on offer to local families and it is devastating that the opening of Fulham Boys School has been halted less than nine weeks before it was meant to open.”

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